Online MTC - Week 1

Hello Everyone!

 

This week has been quite a unique experience as an at home Missionary in training. I was set apart on Tuesday night by President Buhler and have since been living and breathing missionary standards from home. Online MTC began at 2pm on Wednesday, September 9th and was all done through zoom with our teachers in the São Paulo MTC. The first day was mostly becoming acquainted with other Elders in the district as well as our teachers. Communicating over zoom took me some getting used to but pretty soon it felt almost like I was in the same room as the rest of my district. I met my companion Elder Loveless and despite his name he is full of love and joy. We get along great and our companion studies have been very productive and spiritual. 

 

Thursday and Friday were both pretty intensive language training days, although they say it's going to get much worse in the weeks to come. I still have very little grasp on the Portuguese language, mostly just a few poorly pronounced phrases, but I'm improving everyday with the help of my teachers, duolingo, and most of all the Spirit. Even though I've learned very little so far, I can already see the power of the gift of tongues working.

 

Today was my first p-day and I wasn't totally sure what to do with it since most of my time so far as a missionary has been consumed by classes, study, and language practice. I decided to take a little extra time in the morning to exercise and then I got to work doing extra language practice and extra personal study. I had the goal this week of finishing first Nephi in 4 days and I only have 2 chapters left so I'm glad I could accomplish that task. Today our district was supposed to watch a devotional given by Elder Quentin L. Cook for the Online missionaries and then meet together over zoom to discuss it. Elder Cook had some really inspiring and hopeful things to say to us missionaries to help make us feel better about the whole situation. The most meaningful point for me was the message of love everyone you meet as Christ would love them and you will always be an effective missionary, and it will bring you and the people you love closer to God. I thought that was a great message in such a tumultuous time. Thanks for everyone's support and I love you all!

 

-Elder James